At a glance
| Dates | Expected Sep/Oct 2027Three days, Friday to Sunday, between late September and late October 2027 if the pattern holds; nothing announced as of 18 October 2026. |
|---|---|
| Next edition | 2027: Three days, Friday to Sunday, between late September and late October 2027 if the pattern holds; nothing announced as of 18 October 2026. |
| Admission | Free (KTO and the culture ministry's listing). Food trucks, flea-market goods and food booths are paid.Entry: Free (2026 prices) |
| Venue | Cheonjiyeon Falls car park and Seogwipo old town제주특별자치도 서귀포시 서홍동 684 (천지연폭포 인근 주차장) |
| Nearest station | No rail access; see Getting there |
| From Seoul | about 2 h 58 min · Flight + BusFlight time only · Leave from Gimpo Airport · Plan to stay overFull route · Festivals by travel time from Seoul |
| Organizer | Seogwipo City (host) and the Seogwipo Chilsimni Festival Promotion Committee서귀포시 (주최) · 서귀포칠십리축제추진위원회 (주관) |
| Usual timing | Three days, Friday to Sunday, between late September and late October: 2–4 Oct 2015 (with an eve event on 1 Oct), 27–29 Sep 2019, 17–19 Oct 2025 and 23–25 Oct 2026. Held every year, by its numbering: the 21st edition was in 2015 and the 31st in 2025. Browse September / October festivals. |
| Last checked | 22 October 2026Checked against 18 sources · See sources |
What it is like
Chilsimni means "seventy ri", using the old Korean unit of distance. A record from 1653 places Seogwipo port 70 ri from the Jeongui county seat at Seongeup, and over time the phrase became a fond name for Seogwipo and its coast. The festival that carries it is the city's own yearly celebration, hosted by Seogwipo City and run by a promotion committee. It was the 21st edition in 2015 and the 31st in 2025, so 2026 is the 32nd.
The venue has moved around the old town. In 2015 and 2019 the main stage stood at Jaguri Park on the seafront; in 2025 and 2026 the festival centres on the large car park by Cheonjiyeon Falls, with events spreading into the old-town streets, Seogwijin, Jaguri Park and Saeyeongyo Bridge. Its signature is the Chilsimni street parade, in which residents' teams from Seogwipo's 17 eup, myeon and dong (towns and neighbourhoods) march with village folklore, costumes and bands: about 1,500 people took part in 2015, about 2,000 in 2019 on a 1.4 km route, and about 800 in 2025.
For 2026, KTO and the culture ministry list the street parade, an opening ceremony with a drone light show, a Youth Festa, the Chilsimni song contest, a "Running in Chilsimni" event, a Chilsimni Deal Day, a pump contest, a horror maze, a kids' explorer programme, mini sports games, a flea market and food trucks. Running times and the parade route had not been published on the pages opened by 18 October 2026.
In 2025 the festival doubled as the national Culture Month (문화의 달) event, co-hosted by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, which brought headline concerts by Jaurim, N.Flying and the trumpeter Ibrahim Maalouf. The 2026 listings name no headline acts.
Honest caveats: this is a community festival run in Korean, and no English programme was found. Listed closing times disagree (22:00 per KTO and the ministry, 20:00 per the jeju.com guide). On parade day, roads through the old town close: in 2025 the route ran from Jungjeong-ro along Jeongbang-ro and Chilsimni-ro to Cheonjiyeon Falls. Seogwipo is about 1 h 30 min or more from Jeju Airport by limousine bus, so staying in Seogwipo for the evening is easier than a round trip from Jeju City.
Highlights
- Chilsimni street parade by residents' teams from Seogwipo's 17 eup, myeon and dong; about 800 people marched in 2025 and about 2,000 in 2019
- Opening ceremony with a drone light show (2026 programme; time not yet published)
- Free entry; KTO lists 10:00–22:00 on 23–25 October 2026
- Chilsimni song contest and Youth Festa, plus a horror maze, mini sports games, a flea market and food trucks
- Right beside Cheonjiyeon Falls; the Saeyeon Show starts at 19:00 on Friday and Saturday at Saeyeongyo Bridge, 644 m away by KTO's measure
- A name rooted in local history: "seventy ri", the distance a 1653 record gives from the Jeongui county seat to Seogwipo port
Who it suits. Best for travellers already staying in Seogwipo or southern Jeju in late October who want a free, local evening out with a parade, a drone show and street food beside Cheonjiyeon Falls; less suited to anyone who needs English programming or a big concert line-up, or to visitors based in Jeju City without a car, since the limousine bus takes 1 h 30 min or more each way.
Getting there
From Seoul
Fly from Gimpo to Jeju International Airport (scheduled 1 h 15 min on most flights, dozens a day). Jeju has no trains. At the airport take limousine bus 600 from limousine stop 8, by gate 5. It runs via Jungmun and Gangjeong to Seogwipo Port and ends at Seogwipo KAL Hotel, ₩5,500 to Seogwipo. It runs roughly every 50 minutes and takes about 1 h 30 min to World Cup Stadium and 1 h 43 min to the final stop; the current timetable was not confirmed, so check the first and last buses at the airport limousine stop before you go. Get off at Seogwipo Port for Cheonjiyeon Falls. Limousine 800 goes to Seogwipo Bus Terminal instead.
From Busan
Fly from Gimhae (Busan) to Jeju International Airport, then limousine bus 600 as above.
From Incheon Airport
Most travellers transfer to Gimpo Airport on the AREX airport railroad for the frequent Gimpo–Jeju flights, then continue from Jeju International Airport by limousine bus 600 as above.
Festival shuttle
No festival shuttle had been announced on the pages opened as of 18 October 2026.
Getting home
Jeju has no trains. KTO lists festival hours to 22:00. The current limousine 600 timetable, including the last bus from the airport and the last bus back from Seogwipo, was not confirmed for the festival dates: check at the airport limousine stop or the bus information desk before you go. With 1 h 30 min or more on the bus each way, stay the night in Seogwipo rather than flying back to Seoul the same evening.
Parking
The main site is the Cheonjiyeon Falls car park itself, and festival parking for 2026 had not been published on the pages opened. Check traffic notices before driving: on parade day in 2025 (18 October) traffic was restricted on the route from Jungjeong-ro via Jeongbang-ro and Chilsimni-ro to Cheonjiyeon Falls.
How to switch Naver Map and Kakao Map to English
Google Maps shows train, subway and bus routes in Korea but not walking or driving directions yet, so for the walk from the station Naver Map or Kakao Map is more reliable.
Before you go
1330 · Travel hotline
The Korea Tourism Organization’s helpline answers in English, Japanese and Chinese around the clock, and in several other languages from 08:00 to 19:00. Dial 1330 from a Korean phone, or +82-2-1330 from a phone registered abroad.
112 / 119 · Emergencies
112 for police, 119 for fire and ambulance. Both are free from any phone. Police on 112 can add an English or Chinese interpreter to the call.
T-money card
Buy one at a convenience store such as GS25, CU or 7-Eleven and top it up there with cash. It pays for subways and buses in most cities, and for most taxis.
Maps
Use Naver Map or Kakao Map for walking and bus directions; Google Maps does not yet give walking directions in Korea. Both apps can be switched to English. Naver Map: Menu (≡) → Settings → Language (Japanese and Chinese also available). Kakao Map: Menu (≡) → Settings → App settings → Language. If the option is missing, change your phone’s language and reopen the app. Small shop names and some reviews stay in Korean.
Trains and buses
Book trains on Korail’s English site and express buses on Kobus. Holiday weekends sell out first.
Checked 18 October 2026.
Tickets, prices and practical details
| Item | Price | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Entry | Free |
- Booking
- No booking for entry. How to enter the song contest, Youth Festa or Running in Chilsimni was not published on the pages opened; festival committee 064-760-3942.
- English on site
- No English programme was found. KTO carries the festival in its foreign-language listings (German and Spanish pages were seen), but on-site interpretation was not announced.
- Crowds
- A local festival rather than a mass event; parade day is the busiest, and roads along the parade route close (2025). No visitor figures were published on the pages opened.
- Best time to go
- The evening of the opening ceremony for the drone light show, and parade day for the street parade (Saturday 18 October in 2025; 2026 times not yet published). On Friday and Saturday, the Saeyeon Show at Saeyeongyo Bridge starts at 19:00.
- What to bring
- A light jacket for the sea breeze after dark, comfortable shoes for walking between the car park and the old town, and a transport card or cash for the limousine bus.
- Toilets
- There is a public toilet at the Cheonjiyeon Falls car park, which was the listed address of the 2025 event (2-9 Namseongjung-ro).
Editions
| Year | Dates | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2027 | Three days, Friday to Sunday, between late September and late October 2027 if the pattern holds; nothing announced as of 18 October 2026. | expected | Would be the 33rd edition. The venue has changed over the years (Jaguri Park in 2015 and 2019, the Cheonjiyeon Falls car park in 2025 and 2026). |
| 2026 | 23–25 Oct 2026 | ended | Cheonjiyeon Falls car park (684 Seohong-dong) and the surrounding old town. |
| 2025 | 17–19 Oct 2025 | ended | Cheonjiyeon Falls car park and the old town, with Seogwijin, Jaguri Park and Saeyeongyo Bridge. |
| 2019 | 27–29 Sep 2019 | ended | Jaguri Park and other old-town sites. |
| 2015 | 2–4 Oct 2015 | ended | Main stage on the Jaguri coast. |
Nearby
- Cheonjiyeon Falls (천지연폭포) — Adjacent. The waterfall whose car park hosts the festival; see the falls by day, then stay for the festival in the evening.
- Saeseom and Saeyeongyo Bridge (새섬 · 새연교) — 644 m (KTO). Footbridge from Seogwipo Port to Saeseom islet; the Saeyeon Show starts at 19:00 on Fridays and Saturdays, and the 2025 festival held a fashion show on the bridge.
- Jeongbang Falls (정방폭포) — 1,035 m (KTO). A waterfall that drops onto the rocky shore east of the old town.
- Lee Jung-seop Street (이중섭거리) — About 1 km. Old-town street named after the painter Lee Jung-seop, who lived in Seogwipo; a busking venue at the 2025 event.
- Seogwipo Maeil Olle Market (서귀포매일올레시장) — About 1 km. The old town's covered daily market, a short walk from the festival site.
- Jaguri Park (자구리공원). Seaside park in the old town; main stage of the festival in 2015 and 2019 and a programme venue in 2025.
Questions travelers ask
When is the Seogwipo Chilsimni Festival 2026?
Friday 23 to Sunday 25 October 2026, the 32nd edition, at the Cheonjiyeon Falls car park and in Seogwipo's old town. KTO and the culture ministry list 10:00–22:00 daily; the jeju.com guide gives 10:00–20:00.
Is the festival free?
Yes. Entry is free according to KTO and the culture ministry; only food, food-truck and flea-market purchases cost money.
What does "Chilsimni" mean?
"Seventy ri", an old unit of distance. A 1653 record places Seogwipo port 70 ri from the Jeongui county seat at Seongeup, and the phrase became an affectionate name for Seogwipo and its coastline.
What are the main events?
The Chilsimni street parade by residents' teams from Seogwipo's 17 eup, myeon and dong, and an opening ceremony with a drone light show. The 2026 listings also include the Chilsimni song contest, a Youth Festa, a horror maze, mini sports games, a flea market and food trucks. Times had not been published by 18 October 2026.
How do I get there from Jeju Airport?
Take limousine bus 600 from limousine stop 8 (by gate 5) to the Seogwipo Port stop, ₩5,500. It runs roughly every 50 minutes and takes about 1 h 30 min–1 h 45 min to reach Seogwipo; the current timetable was not confirmed, so check the first and last buses at the stop. Jeju has no trains.
Will roads be closed?
On parade day, yes. In 2025 (18 October) traffic was restricted on the parade route from Jungjeong-ro via Jeongbang-ro and Chilsimni-ro to Cheonjiyeon Falls. Check Seogwipo City's traffic notice for 2026 before driving.
Can I combine it with Cheonjiyeon Falls?
Yes. The festival is held on the waterfall's car park, so you can see the falls by day and stay for the evening programme. Saeyeongyo Bridge, 644 m away by KTO's measure, has the Saeyeon Show at 19:00 on Fridays and Saturdays.
Sources and verification
Facts checked
22 October 2026, against the sources listed below.
This page is desk research from the sources below, not a firsthand report of the 2027 edition. Confidence in the current facts: medium.
- KTO TourAPI listing 서귀포칠십리축제 (contentId 506616)kto — 2026 dates 23–25 Oct, hours 10:00–22:00, free entry, address 서홍동 684 by Cheonjiyeon Falls car park, coordinates 33.243863/126.560563, organizer Seogwipo City, phone 064-760-3942, homepage 70festival.com, overview (old town and seafront, street parade, busking, flea market, food)
- KTO festival listing (ktriptips mirror, Korean): 서귀포칠십리축제kto — 2026 programme: street parade, opening ceremony with drone light show, Youth Festa, song contest, Running in Chilsimni, 특템 데이, 펌프대회, horror maze, 탐험대, mini sports games, flea market, food trucks; host Seogwipo City, run by the promotion committee
- KTO festival listing (ktriptips mirror, German): Seogwipo Chilsimni Festivalkto — Foreign-language name Seogwipo Chilsimni Festival; 23–25 Oct 2026; free; Saeseom Saeyeongyo 644 m and Jeongbang Falls 1,035 m from the site
- KTO festival listing (ktriptips mirror, Spanish): Festival Chilsimni de Seogwipokto — KTO carries the festival in a Spanish listing
- Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism — festival listing: 서귀포칠십리축제ministry — 2026 dates 23–25 Oct, 10:00–22:00, free, Cheonjiyeon car park area extending into the old town, Seogwipo City, committee phone 064-760-3942, programme (parade, busking, local artists, food and flea market), schedule may change
- jeju.com — Jeju fall festivalsblog — 32nd edition, 23–25 Oct 2026 (Fri–Sun), 10:00–20:00, free, 서홍동 684 in front of Cheonjiyeon Falls; parade by teams from 17 eup/myeon/dong, drone show at the opening, song contest, youth festival, horror maze, flea market, food trucks; see the falls by day; 2025 parade road closures; Saeyeon Show 19:00 Fri and Sat; tourism promotion division 064-760-3944
- Travel Map Journey — 10월 제주도 여행, 날짜별 3가지 선택blog — 32nd edition 23–25 Oct 2026, 10:00–20:00, free, Cheonjiyeon Falls car park; programme may change
- 여기유.com — 서귀포칠십리축제 2026 listingother — 23–25 Oct 2026, 10:00–22:00, free, Seogwipo City and the 서귀포칠십리축제추진위원회, 064-760-3942, programme names; Cheonjiyeon Falls and Seogwipo Maeil Olle Market about 1 km
- Seoul Shinmun — 광어축제 갈까, 칠십리축제 갈까 (6 Oct 2025)news — 31st edition 17–19 Oct 2025, Cheonjiyeon Falls car park and old town, co-hosted by the culture ministry and Seogwipo City as Culture Month; day-by-day programme; parade 18 Oct with about 800 residents from 17 eup/myeon/dong; traffic restrictions Jungjeong-ro → Jeongbang-ro → Chilsimni-ro → Cheonjiyeon
- KTO festival listing (ktriptips mirror): 대한민국 문화의 달 2025kto — 17–19 Oct 2025, 06:00–22:00, free, Cheonjiyeon Falls car park and old town, address 남성중로 2-9, hosts and the Jeju Culture & Arts Foundation, 064-760-0901, held with the 31st Seogwipo Chilsimni Festival; busking at Seogwijin, Lee Jung-seop Street and Saeyeongyo
- 여기유.com — 2025 문화의 달 (Seogwipo) listingother — 2025 address 남성중로 2-9 at the Cheonjiyeon car park public toilet; Lee Jung-seop Street and Saeyeongyo about 1 km
- Seoul Shinmun — 서귀포 칠십리축제 27일 개막 (24 Sep 2019)news — 2019 festival from 27 Sep for three days at Jaguri Park; 1.4 km parade with about 2,000 participants from 105 villages, military band and cavalry; Canopus longevity theme; dialect contest, song contest; meaning of chilsimni
- Seoul Shinmun — [우리동네 흥겨운 축제] 서귀포 칠십리축제 (9 Sep 2015)news — 21st edition 2–4 Oct 2015 with eve event 1 Oct at Seogwipo Arts Center; Jaguri coast main stage; parade of about 1,500 people from 17 villages ending at Jaguri Park; programme; 70 ri from the Jeongui county seat at Seongeup to Seogwipo port, 1653 record
- jeju.com — Jeju without a rental car (transit guide)blog — Limousine 600 from airport stop 8 via Jungmun, Gangjeong and Seogwipo Port to Seogwipo KAL Hotel; fares ₩4,500 (Yeomiji), ₩5,000 (Gangjeong/World Cup Stadium), ₩5,500 (Seogwipo); limousine 800 to Seogwipo Terminal
- IJCAI 2024 — bus 600 timetable, Jeju Airport to ICC Jeju and Seogwipo (weekday, from 1 Aug 2024)other — First departure 06:30, last 22:20, about every 50 minutes; 06:30 departure: ICC 07:41, World Cup Stadium 07:59, Seogwipo KAL Hotel 08:13 (1 h 43 min)
- IJCAI 2024 — How to move between Jeju Airport and ICCother — Bus 600 boards outside gate 5 at Jeju Airport
- Korea Airports Corporation — 김포국제공항 운항스케줄 (domestic, GMP→CJU departures)official — 124 scheduled Gimpo→Jeju departures 06:00–20:45 in the schedule running to 24 Oct 2026; block times 75 min (112), 80 min (9), 85 min (3)
- Kayak — Seoul Gimpo (GMP) to Jeju (CJU) flightsother — Direct flights about 1 h 15 min (average 1 h 16 min); weekly frequencies Jeju Air 155, Korean Air 142, Eastar 130
What we could not confirm
- Times of the 2026 opening ceremony and drone light show, and the day, time and route of the street parade (still not in the KTO listing updated 19 Oct 2026)
- Daily closing time: 22:00 per KTO and the culture ministry, 20:00 per jeju.com and Travel Map Journey
- Year first held: the numbering (21st in 2015, 31st in 2025) points to 1995, but no source opened states it
- Official Japanese and Chinese names (KTO foreign-language pages for ja/zh were not found)
- Current limousine 600 timetable (first and last buses from the airport, return times from Seogwipo) and the walk from the Seogwipo Port stop to the Cheonjiyeon Falls car park; clock times from the August 2024 weekday timetable were removed on 22 Oct 2026
- 2026 parking arrangements and traffic-control notice for parade day
- Visit Jeju's 2026 festival page (visitjeju.net, contentsid CNTS_300000000014855) could not be opened from this environment
- Rain policy, accessibility and English support were not published
Changes: 2026-10-18 — Added to the site: fact-first record (dates, hours, prices, getting there, sources). · 2026-10-18 — Added a photograph from the Korea Tourism Organization (Korea Tourism Content Lab), KOGL Type 1. · 2026-10-19 — Rechecked before the 2026 edition: no changes found. · 2026-10-22 — Rechecked before the 2026 edition: dates, hours and venue unchanged in the KTO listing (updated 19 Oct 2026); limousine bus 600 clock times from the 2024 timetable removed because the current timetable could not be confirmed. Opening-ceremony and parade times are still not published.
